Wild Folk Preservative Free Shiraz: Tasting Notes

WINE STYLE → Dark Berry & Spice

A beautifully authentic expression of Barossa Shiraz with both vibrancy and depth. Plum, boysenberry and mulberry fruit lead the aroma, joined by olive tapenade, pressed flowers, coal dust, macerated summer berries, kirsch and earth. The palate is plush and generous, but it is not just about fruit weight. Fine chalky tannins and a distinct savoury, earthy flow carry the wine through the finish, giving it shape and proper red-wine seriousness. It is full-bodied, dry and very much built around character rather than polish.

Highlights

• Certified organic, certified biodynamic, vegan suitable and No Added Preservative
• Crafted by Wild Folk — a minimal-intervention natural wine range built around wild-fermented, unfined and unfiltered wines
• Plum, boysenberry, mulberry, olive tapenade, pressed flowers, coal dust and earth
• Barossa Shiraz made in a fresher, more uncompromising preservative-free style
• Handpicked, open-fermented and bottled young in stainless steel with little added and no fining or filtration
• 14.5% ABV

Tasting Notes

This Shiraz opens with a generous fan of plum, boysenberry and mulberry fruit, but it quickly shows more than just ripeness. Olive tapenade, pressed flowers, coal dust, kirsch and earth add savoury complexity, while the palate carries layers of dark berries and spice with a plush but not heavy core. Fine chalky tannins bring shape and a savoury earthy line pulls through the finish. The overall style is authentic Barossa Shiraz with less make-up and more raw detail.

Winemaking

The fruit was handpicked and sorted, then fermented in open fermenters with plunging. After fermentation, the wine was consigned to stainless steel and bottled shortly after with little added, and it was neither fined nor filtered. Wild Folk describes the result as a fresher, more uncompromising wine stylistically, and that fits the way it drinks: energetic, vivid and minimally dressed.

Vineyard & Vintage

The 2024 season was dry through winter and spring, with unusually early budburst in September. Spring frosts in September and October reduced yields in some vineyards, but timely rain and cooler conditions in November and December helped the vines recover. Most varieties were harvested by late March, and quality was consistently high despite variable yields. That season has given this Barossa Shiraz both concentration and freshness, which is a very good result for the style.

Why We Love It

This is a strong fit for anyone who likes Shiraz with depth but does not want it buried under oak sweetness. It keeps the dark fruit and body you expect from Barossa, but the savoury notes, chalky tannins and preservative-free handling give it a more direct and distinctive feel. It tastes honest, which is a big part of the appeal.

Food Pairing

The fruit weight and savoury tannin make this a natural partner for richer dishes, especially where there is char, spice or roasted depth. It also has enough earthiness to work well with vegetarian dishes that lean savoury rather than sweet. Try matching this wine with →

• Slow-cooked lamb shoulder — Find a Recipe
• Charred mushroom burgers — Find a Recipe
• Beef brisket — Find a Recipe

Mood or occasion to match this wine…

A very good bottle for cooler nights, smoky food and dinners where you want a full red with real depth and a little rustic honesty.

Cellaring

This drinks well now for its vivid fruit and savoury energy, but it also has enough shape to hold over the short to medium term. Drink now or over the next few years while the fruit and earthy detail stay in balance.

Producer

Wild Folk is a minimal-intervention natural wine range built around wines made without artifice. The wines are wild yeast fermented, preservative free, unfined and unfiltered, with a focus on purity of fruit and vineyard expression rather than cellar gloss. That philosophy suits this Barossa Shiraz especially well. Instead of turning Shiraz into something glossy and heavily worked, Wild Folk lets the fruit, tannin and earthier notes come through with more immediacy. The result is a wine with clear varietal and regional identity, but in a fresher and more raw-edged frame.

Related Wines To Try →

If you enjoy this preservative-free Shiraz style, these are worth comparing:

• From the same producer, juicier medium-bodied red with more acidity — Wild Folk Preservative Free Nero D’Avola
• Another preservative-free Shiraz from a different producer — Yangarra Preservative Free Shiraz
• Another organic preservative-free Shiraz in a softer frame — Botobolar Organic Preservative Free Shiraz

FAQ

What does Wild Folk Preservative Free Shiraz taste like?

It shows plum, boysenberry and mulberry fruit with olive tapenade, pressed flowers, coal dust and earthy savoury notes. The palate is full-bodied and plush, with fine chalky tannins and a lingering savoury finish.

Is this wine dry?

Yes, it is a dry red wine. The specs list 0.3 g/L residual sugar, which sits firmly in the dry range and fits the way the tannin and savoury notes read on the palate.

How full-bodied is it?

This sits in the full-bodied camp, but it is not bulky or overdone. There is plenty of dark fruit and depth, though the stainless-steel élevage keeps the style a little fresher than a more oak-shaped Shiraz.

Does it need decanting?

A short decant will help. Fifteen to thirty minutes gives the savoury and floral notes more room to open and helps the tannins settle into the glass.

What temperature and glassware work best?

Serve it at around 16–18°C in a medium to large red wine glass. That gives the fruit and savoury detail enough space while keeping the wine balanced.

Can this wine be cellared?

Yes, over the short to medium term. It is already very drinkable now, but there is enough fruit and tannin to let it hold nicely for a few more years.

Does this wine contain preservatives or sulphites?

This is a No Added Preservative wine. The specs list total SO₂ at 10 ppm and free SO₂ at 5 ppm, which is consistent with naturally occurring sulphites only.

Is this wine vegan friendly?

Yes, it is listed as vegan suitable. It is also certified organic, certified biodynamic, and bottled unfined and unfiltered.

What food works best with this wine?

It works very well with lamb shoulder, beef brisket, smoky barbecue dishes and savoury mushroom-based meals. The fruit depth and earthy tannin suit richer food especially well.

Who is this wine likely to suit?

It will suit drinkers who enjoy Barossa Shiraz with dark fruit and real depth, but who prefer less oak gloss and more natural character. If you like fuller reds with savoury detail and a preservative-free style, this is a strong fit.

(SKU: FO_Shi_CV)